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Lilin
The Lilin are a group of humanoid creatures classified as 'demons' in many taxonomies. Covering a small group of similarly structured 'demons', all Lilin share the need to feed upon the psychic output of other creatures as their main source of sustenance. Playful and somewhat emotional, the Lilin are well known among many of the communities on the station, if not entirely well understood. Physiology Lilin are humanoid creatures with dark skin (usually a blue-grey to a coal grey or even black) and notably red eyes with white irises and glowing pupils. They often have horns of some kind, though the size and shape of the horns seems to be genetic rather than connected to status (although some of the Lilin with larger horns will attribute it to purer blood, this is irrelevant due to reasons outlined below). They possess a set of darkly colored, tough and particularly sharp cloven hooves that help them run and climb at high speeds. They tend to have powerful legs with more slender upper bodies and extremely defined primary sex characteristics, with overdeveloped genitalia on both sexes, even though they tend to edge on a more feminine build as a species, both sexes possessing wide hips and slender shoulders. In fact many individuals edge on being completely androgynous, while others have very notable secondary sex characteristics such as prominent beards or large breasts. Their arms tend to be delicate and they have humanoid hands with five digits (a thumb and four fingers). All Lilin have a pair of leathery wings extending from their shoulder blades, matching or slightly darker than the color of their skin. They are able to shrink or stretch the size of these wings through an unknown process or even able to make them disappear altogether through an illusory process (see below). They have a small tail as well that can be anywhere from a third of a meter to a meter long, and either tapers to a point or ends in a slight spade shape. Lilin are said to feed on emotion, which is partially true though it would be more accurate to say that they feed on the mental energy tied to emotion. Most lilin can get by from the ambient psychic output of most creatures. Though not terribly fulfilling, this output tends to have everything a lilin needs to survive. However, in order to thrive and grow stronger, most lilin must feed on a source of psychic energy directly. The easiest means being through bodily contact. While it is true that lilin resort to sexual encounters in order to feed, this is not necessary. Most can feed from a simple touch or even from being in close proximity (though having a physical conduit makes it much easier). Intrepid lilin have even been known to tap into the recreational VR banks in order to pull psychic energy directly from the brain patterns of the beings using them (though this is extremely dangerous and highly illegal). Lilin store their energy within their physical forms. However, being beings of energy at their root, their physical form isn't tied to their consciousness directly and if destroyed can be reconstituted by a lilin at the expense of a large chunk of their personal energy. Some choose to 'de-age' in this case and procure a more diminutive form in order to save energy. As such, small, implike lilin are not uncommon, especially ones who breed excessively or tend to tax their forms inordinately through extreme magic use. Lilin are also masters of disguise, being able to change their projected appearance to mimic other creatures down to the voice, physical shape, and even scent of another being. However, this is a conscious effort and if distracted, damaged or hit with a pulse of energy, the Lilin will revert to its natural appearance. It is not known if lilin have to breathe or even require physical sustenance, though studies show that limiting access to oxygen, water and sustenance in the form of food does cause them physical discomfort and makes it harder for them to sustain themselves via their energy stores. The only way to kill a lilin in theory, however, is to completely drain their energy. It is because of this that lilin are recorded to live for several hundred years though it's hard to say what their upper bounds is, or if they are even able to be completely killed in the first place, as a lilin are not completely tied to the physical realm. Most lilin reproduce sexually and are born of other lilin though it is not uncommon for a lilin to be spontaneously generated from a humanoid pregnancy via proximity. Most lilin tend to produce one or two per pregnancy, though a special class (the Lilim, see below) can produce hundreds or thousands of small implings at a time. These under-developed lilin are often used as a food source by other demons, but given enough time can grow to become full fledged lilin. The Lilin are about as intelligent as your average human, if a bit more emotionally inclined. They tend to either live very short lives due to their impulsive nature or very long ones, if they survive long enough to gain sufficient life experience to be able to survive and thrive with the unique toolsets they possess. Origins, Behavior and Etymology The Lilin are a group of demons sharing physical similarities and classifications. Though they have a variety of castes with physical and behavioral differences, for the most part all Lilin work on the same rules and can be spotted at a glance. The word Lilin comes from the supposed progenitor of the species, Lilith, a powerful female demon said to be the first wife of the first human in some Terran religious texts. Temperamental and independent, she was dissatisfied with her mate and divorced him, leaving to become the mother of all demons. Her children are known as the Lilim, and the Lilin use this term to refer to those that can trace their lineage directly back to Lilith. The Lilim tend to be more feral, smaller, and more physically focused. They breed rapidly and enthusiastically though a majority of their offspring never make it to adult-hood. Most common Lilin tend to be mixed with human blood in some way and thus have forms, habits and lifecycles more typical to human ones. Though the Lilim are revered for their purity, they do not constitute a ruling class and most Lilin are largely independent of one another's governance, only bowing before more powerful demons and angels than themselves. The Lilin themselves seem to originate from a dimension outside of the known universe and it is speculated that they actually come from the same plane as the Qaddiysh or at least somewhere topographically similar. Category:IC Category:Species